IU GERIATRICS e-news for November 2005

IU Geriatrics and the IU Center for Aging Research congratulate the Geriatrics Education Network of Indiana faculty for completing another successful GENI Educators Retreat held October 14-15, 2005 at the Courtyard Marriott in Indianapolis.
   GENI faculty included IU Geriatrics geriatricians Glenda Westmoreland, Steve Counsell, Youcef Sennour, and Douglas K. Miller , joined by internist Debra Litzelman, Associate Dean for Medical Education and Curricular Affairs.
   During 2005, a total of 35 participants attended the two-day retreat and left with GENI plaques representing their retreat work—from reviewing knowledge of geriatric conditions and syndromes to brushing up on clinical teaching techniques and on the Four Habits Model to role playing to brainstorming to pondering potential quality improvement projects—all contributing to the goal of quality care for older adults in Indiana.

   

Senior Care at Wishard Medical Director Robin Beck, MD, announces that the IU Center for Senior Health is now offering the new "Welcome to Medicare" Exam to eligible Medicare Part B participants. This one-time preventive physical exam provides screening for problems with vision, hearing, falls, depression, memory impairment, function and safety, modifiable disease risk factors and major cardiac disease with an EKG. The exam, which must take place within the first 6 months that a patient has enrolled in Part B, may improve the health prospects of Medicare beneficiaries as they enter the program. For Medicare provider information, go to page 4 of the pdf publication Medlearn Matters Special Edition SE0556.

 

AWARD
Congratulations to Glenda Westmoreland, MD, MPH, who received a Tony and Mary Hulman Health Achievement Award in Geriatrics and Gerontology at the Indiana Public Health Foundation's annual awards banquet held on October 27, 2005, at the Westin Hotel.
    The award is Indiana 's "Premier" health award in recognition of Indiana 's citizens and organizations whose efforts have resulted in a significant improvement to the human race. The purpose of the award is to create a positive image of health and provide a forum for awareness of the contributions of health leaders. Colleagues from IU Geriatrics, Wishard Health Services, IU Medical Group, IU School of Medicine and the IU Center for Aging Research were on hand to pay tribute to Dr. Westmoreland.

 

PUBLICATIONS
The Gerontological Society of America's newest publication is Dementia Care and Quality of Life in Assisted Living and Nursing Homes , a special issue of The Journals of The Gerontologist. Malaz Boustani, MD, MPH, is an author in the articles that follow.

Boustani M, Zimmerman S, Williams CS, Gruber-Baldini AL, Watson L, Reed PS, Sloane PD. Characteristics associated with behavioral symptoms related to dementia in long-term care residents. Gerontologist. 2005 Oct;45 Suppl 1:56 -61.

Reed PS, Zimmerman S, Sloane PD, Williams CS, Boustani M. Characteristics associated with low food and fluid intake in long-term care residents with dementia. Gerontologist. 2005 Oct;45 Suppl 1:74-81.

Gruber-Baldini AL, Zimmerman S, Boustani M, Watson LC, Williams CS, Reed PS. Characteristics associated with depression in long-term care residents with dementia. Gerontologist. 2005 Oct;45 Suppl 1:50 -5.

Zimmerman S, Williams CS, Reed PS, Boustani M, Preisser JS, Heck E, Sloane PD. Attitudes, stress, and satisfaction of staff who care for residents with dementia. Gerontologist. 2005 Oct;45 Suppl 1:96-105.

Dobbs D, Munn J, Zimmerman S, Boustani M, Williams CS, Sloane PD, Reed PS. Characteristics associated with lower activity involvement in long-term care residents with dementia. Gerontologist. 2005 Oct;45 Suppl 1:81-6.

Williams SW, Williams CS, Zimmerman S, Sloane PD, Preisser JS, Boustani M, Reed PS. Characteristics associated with mobility limitation in long-term care residents with dementia. Gerontologist. 2005 Oct;45 Suppl 1:62-7.

Zimmerman S, Sloane PD, Williams CS, Reed PS, Preisser JS, Eckert JK, Boustani M, Dobbs D. Dementia care and quality of life in assisted living and nursing homes. Gerontologist. 2005 Oct;45 Suppl 1:133-46.

 

PRESENTATIONS
David Wilcox, MD, CMD, presented "Wound care: wading through the quagmire of opinion and myth," at Ball Memorial Hospital 's Grand Rounds on October 26, 2005. 

Malaz Boustani, MD, MPH, presented “Untangling Agitation Inside the World of Dementia” at the Alzheimer's Association's annual statewide education conference held in Indianapolis on November 9, 2005. The conference featured over 27 sessions that included topics such as fall prevention, training staff, spirituality, research, and regulations.

Gene Lammers, MD, MPH, presented "Update on Medications" at the Alzheimer's Association's annual statewide education conference held in Indianapolis on November 9, 2005. He also presented "DNR and Advance Directives" as part of the Fairbanks Lecture Series on October 12, 2005, at Methodist Hospital.

 

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
 Michael Weiner, MD, MPH, attended the Technology for Life & Living Conference on gero-informatics at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center on October 21. The meetings featured presentations about cutting edge technologies and their implications for the future of aging. Mike then traveled to Washington, DC, to join a large contingent of Regenstrief Institute scientists and fellows at the 2005 American Medical Informatics Association Annual Symposium.

Malaz Boustani, MD, MPH, attended the 2005 American Medical Informatics Association Annual Symposium.

Hugh C. Hendrie, MB, ChB, DSc, was a discussant for the panel entitled “Detection and Treatment of Dementia Under Different Settings: Here and Elsewhere” on November 4, 2005, at the International College of Geriatric Psychoneuropharmacology 5th Annual Meeting held in Pittsburgh.

Steve Counsell, MD, provided consultation to the Bon Secours Hampton Roads (BSHR) Health System, Norfolk , Virginia as a part of their Chronic Disease Management Planning Session held November 14, 2005. Senior management of BSHR were very interested in the cutting edge care management interventions being studied here at IUSM including the GRACE model, which integrates primary care with geriatrics expertise to make health system changes for improved quality and outcomes in older adults.  

Steve Counsell, MD, chaired the recent meeting of the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) Public Policy Advisory Group in Orlando, Florida on November 19, 2005. Hot topics included finalizing an AGS Position Statement on pay-for-performance and discussion of physician quality indicators in ambulatory care. AGS policy initiatives have been successful in influencing Medicare initiatives in these areas, including several geriatrics quality of care indicators (e.g., assessment of falls and urinary incontinence in elderly patients) being included as a part of the Physician Voluntary Reporting Program to begin in January, 2006.
 

ANNOUNCEMENTS
Frederick Unverzagt, PhD, will present “Updates on Neuropsychological Testing in Older Adults” at the December 7 IU Geriatrics Conference held in Wishard T2008 A&B from 7:30-8:30am. Dr.Unverzagt is an associate professor of psychiatry, IUSM, and teaches at all levels of psychological and medical education, including graduate, internship, and residency. He sees patients in several locations, including the IU Center for Senior Health.

The December 28 IU Geriatrics Conference held in Wishard T2008 A&B from 7:30-8:30am has been cancelled. The conference will resume on January 4, 2006.